Memory & Data Workflow
Data Workflow (ENFORCED)
- •Linear = single source of truth for requirements, status, and acceptance criteria
- •claude-mem = cross-session decision memory (supplements Linear, never duplicates)
- •Local plan files = ONLY the planner agent writes these (
plans/<feature>-plan.md), for code-level implementation detail too granular for Linear. All other agents write to Linear comments. - •Requirements, specs, critiques, and review results go to Linear comments, not local files
Memory System Separation
| System | Purpose | What to Store |
|---|---|---|
| claude-mem | Human-driven | User preferences, architectural decisions, debugging insights, cross-session learnings |
| Claude-Flow | Agent-driven | Agent coordination patterns, code optimization history, model performance data |
| Serena | Code-driven | Project code structure, conventions, build commands (auto-discovered via onboarding) |
| Linear | Project management | Ticket requirements, acceptance criteria, status tracking |
No overlap: Each memory system serves a distinct purpose; never duplicate content across systems.
claude-mem 3-Layer Workflow
- •
search(query)— Get compact index with IDs (~50-100 tokens/result) - •
timeline(anchor=ID)— Get chronological context around interesting results - •
get_observations([IDs])— Fetch full details ONLY for filtered IDs
NEVER skip to get_observations without filtering first (saves ~10x tokens).
When to Save (claude-mem)
- •User states a preference or working style
- •An architectural or design decision is made
- •You discover a non-obvious project convention or pattern
- •A debugging session yields a reusable insight
- •A mistake is made that others (or future you) should avoid
When NOT to Save
- •Transient debugging context (one-off stack traces, temp workarounds)
- •Information already in CLAUDE.md, README, or docs
- •Obvious facts derivable from reading the code
Observation Rules
- •Memory observer agents are DEPRECATED — use
/checkpointskill instead - •If observers must be used: only record what was actually observed. Never fabricate details.
- •If a session has minimal activity, record that limitation explicitly rather than padding with assumptions
MCP Server Usage
- •claude-mem: Cross-session memory only. Save decisions/patterns (brief). NEVER duplicate Linear content.
- •Linear: Source of truth for requirements, status, and acceptance criteria. ALL tickets tracked there.